RYAN HOME / NVR SURVEY QUESTIONS

Today, we completed our Ryan Home / NVR survey.  We were a little late; however, we waited until the Pre-Settlement and 30 day checklist was complete prior to completing the survey.  I'm not sure if the questions are the same for everyone and some of the questions request for additional comments, but this will give you an idea on the type of questions you will receive.

1. Customer Name
2. Considering your overall experience, would you recommend a Ryan home to a friend or colleague? (Yes-No)
3. What is the likelihood you would recommend a Ryan home to a friend or colleague? (1-Extremely Unlikely -10-Extremely Likely)
4. Sales & Marketing Representative (Name)
5. Please rate your Sales and Marketing Representative in the following areas (1-Poor - 10-Excellent)
• Courtesy in serving you
• Knowledge of floorplans and community
• Description of available options and upgrades
• Timeliness in responding
• Reliability in following through on commitments
• Explanation of the warranty/service commitment
• Overall Impression
6. Please rate your impression of the overall Price/Value of your home (1-Poor - 10-Excellent)
7. Please rate the value for the price paid for your additional selections (1-Poor - 10-Excellent)
8. Overall, how satisfied were you with the purchase process of your Ryan home (selecting and documenting your home features and home site)  (1-Extremely Dissatisfied -10-Extremely Satisfied)
9. Project Manager (Name)
10. Please rate your Project Manager in the following areas (1-Poor - 10-Excellent)
• Courtesy in serving you
• Knowledge of construction
• Timeliness in responding
• Reliability in following through on commitments
• Overall Impression
11. Overall, how satisfied were you with the construction experience (1-Extremely Dissatisfied -10-Extremely Satisfied)
12. Please rate the following aspects of your Pre-Settlement Demonstration (*with the exception of items not completed based on winter weather)
• Completeness of your home at Pre-Settlement Demonstration*
• Demonstration of the use of home features
• Demonstration of home care & maintenance
• Review of your home warranty policy & procedures
• Promptness of addressing any needed adjustments
13. Please indicate if any items were not 100% complete at your Pre-Settlement Demonstration (check box for each item)
• None - My home was complete
• Landscaping
• Driveway/Sidewalk
• Exterior Finishes (paint, siding, brick, etc)
• Windows & Doors
• Flooring (carpet, hardwood, etc)
• Drywall & Paint
• Kitchen & Bath Cabinets
• Light Fixtures
• Plumbing Fixtures
• Heating or Air Conditioning
• Other
14. Overall, how satisfied are you with the quality of your new home (1-Extremely Dissatisfied -10-Extremely Satisfied)
15. Please rate the quality of Materials and Workmanship in your new home (drop down box for each item - Excellent, Good, Average, Poor, N/A and Comment section)
• Appliances
• Kitchen Cabinets
• Kitchen Countertops
• Flooring
• Drywall
• Paint
• Lighting Fixtures
• Plumbing Fixtures (toilets, faucets, tubs, etc)
• Heating & Air Conditioning (HVAC)
• Windows
• Landscaping
16. How many weeks in advance did you receive confirmation of your specific Settlement date from Ryan homes (Less than 1 week, 1-2 weeks, 2-3 weeks, 4-6 weeks, 7+ weeks)
17. Did you settle on that date (Yes or No)
18. Loan Officer (Name)
19. Please rate your NVR Mortgage Professional on the following (1-Poor - 10-Excellent)
• Timeliness in which your loan application was scheduled
• Explanation of your mortgage program
• Timeliness in which your loan was approved
•  Responsiveness to your calls, questions, and requests
• Timeliness in which you were informed of funds needed for closing
20. Please rate the overall level of customer service you received from your NVR Mortgage professional (1-Poor - 10-Excellent)
21. Please rate NVR Settlement Services on the following (1-Poor - 10-Excellent)
• Communication regarding details of your Settlement
• Responsiveness to your calls, questions, & request prior to settlement
• Explanation of your HUD-1 statement and addressing your questions
• Professional and courteous manner of your closing agent
22. Please rate the overall level of customer service provided by your NVR Settlement Services professionals (1-Extremely Dissatisfied -10-Extremely Satisfied)
23. Please provide any additional comments on your overall experience with Ryan Homes

I am not one to give a 10 or Excellent...I don't believe that our house was perfect when we moved in.  However, I believe that we completed the survey fairly.

'FALL' IN LOVE WITH THE TREES...



This is the perfect time of year to show off the trees. As mentioned in past posts, we received 7 on lot trees from Ryan Homes and 8-10 city street trees from the township.  Over the past few weeks, RH has been planting all of the trees. 



2 on lot (Red Maple) trees planted on the left side of the house

 

1 on lot (Pear) tree planted beside the driveway



9 city street (Red Maple) trees planted along the walkway in front of the house

side view of the house/property

Front view



Front view



Front view

Front yard

 

1 on lot (Pear) tree in front of the solarium



1 on lot (Pear) tree behind the solarium

 

side view of solarium with the on lot (Pear) trees
in the front and back yard

1 on lot (Cherry) tree planted at the bottom of hillside
on the right side of the house

In addition to all of the trees mentioned above, within the next few weeks we plan to have 8 evergreen pine trees (5'-6' tall) planted at the top of the hillside between our property and lot #4.  We will post pictures once it is complete.


1 on lot (Oak) tree planted in backyard toward woods



Beautiful woods in back yard




...another picture of the
beautiful woods located in our back yard




We absolutely love our back yard, especially this time of year...




...we can't wait until spring to add the patio and fire pit...
and eventually the swimming pool. 


Also, we updated the "Our Community" page with recent pictures and info.  All 18 lots are sold and all but 1 lot is under construction.  According to our PM, the community should be complete by the end of January.  All of our neighbors have been very friendly.  A lot of kids and newborns.  LOVE IT!!!  We are so happy that we took our time to find the perfect place to call 'HOME'.

STAINLESS STEEL BLOGGERS

Last Thursday (10/13/2011) we had our 30 day walk-thru with our PM and I will blog more about that in another post.  However, I couldn't wait to share the following information with you.  As you all know we had various issues with our dishwasher and last week we finally received a dishwasher that works.  Unfortunatly, the stainless steel was stained and discolored.  I attempted to use a stainless steel cleaner that I use on the other stainless steel appliances, but it didn't work.  So I brought it to the PM's attention and told him that I was very satisfied with the operations of the dishwasher; however, I was not happy with the exterior look of the stainless steel.  He said he would look into it and get back to me.  A few hours later, he arrives with a shopping bag full of goodies.  Within minutes the stainless steel on the dishwasher looked brand new.  I asked him how he did it and he handed me a E-Coth that he purchased at the local hardware store. 

I was amazed that no chemical were used, only water...and you can use the product over and over again.  Another THANK YOU to our PM!!!

DISHWASHER UPDATE

The GE technician showed up on Wednesday to inform us that he is unable to fix the dishwasher.  The PM took matters in his own hands and contacted his GE rep. to order a new dishwasher.  The PM informed us he will pick it up and install the dishwasher on Thursday.  Thursday afternoon the PM showed up with the new dishwasher to find out that the dishwasher is damaged.  At this point, the PM is so very very upset.  He even offered to do our dishes.  The PM contacted his GE rep. again and was able to get us an upgraded model at no additional charge.  The PM is going to pick up the dishwasher and install it today.  If all goes well, we should have a new dishwasher by the end of today.

The PM is doing a great job on making sure we are satisfied and has taken a lot of the frustration off of us.  We know he is doing all he can do to make us happy.

UPDATE (added on 10/09/2011 at 9:30 p.m.): The PM installed the dishwasher on Friday and everything seems to be working.  Just in time for our house warming party, daughter's birthday, and the holidays.  A huge THANK YOU goes out to the PM for making this happen. 

Update

The unpacking is almost complete.  There are a few items that we are not sure what to do with, but other than that the house is looking good.  It will look even better once we paint over the white walls.  The hardest part is picking the right color.  We hung a few blinds/shades, mainly in the bedrooms.  

The following is an update on a few other items...

Dishwasher - The GE technician showed up this morning to tell us that we did not receive all of the replacement parts to fix the dishwasher.  We don't know if the GE technician did not order all of the parts or if they forgot to ship all of the parts.  Let's just say, we are above and beyond livid with this whole issue.  We contacted the PM right away and made him very aware of our frustration.  We moved in almost 30 days ago and still have yet to use the dishwasher.  The PM contacted GE and ensured us that the parts will be shipped overnight.  We will need to contact GE to set-up an appointment for the technician swap out the parts. 

Pre-settlement issues - there are still several issues that are outstanding that if are not fixed by the 30 day inspection, we will be sure to remind the PM. 

Irrigation system - most of the system has been installed.  However, due to all of the rain we the installer has decided to hold off on finalizing the hook-up until Spring.  We are waiting for the installer to finish setting up the main control and to have a plumber set-up the deduct meter.  It is our understanding that the Water and Sanitation Authority requires several inspections; however, the installer ensures us that he will take care of it. 

Trees...we still have not heard back from the PM regarding the type of trees.  We will follow-up the PM at the 30 day inspection.

30 day inspection...we are waiting for the PM to get back to us on when the 30 day inspection will be.  We are still compiling a list of issues.  We hope to have the meeting either by the end of this week or some time next week. 

Until next time...

...LIFE GOES ON...

Hello all, it's been awhile since my last post.  We have been very busy getting the old house cleaned out and cleaned up.  So much to do, so little time. 

Dishwasher is still not fixed.  We should have received the new control panel last week.  Today, we called GE to check on the status; however, we were very disappointed to find out that they couldn't find a record for us and GE recommended that we contact RH.  We contacted the PM, who informed us that the part is on back order and we should receive it later this week. 

Pre-settlement follow-up - The PM stopped by last week to follow-up with us on the items from the pre-settlement walk-thru.  There are several items that need to be done...the garage floor still needs fixed, the landing to the family room stairs didn't meet our satisfaction and the PM is going to have someone take a look at it.  I think there are a few other items, but I can't remember what they are at this time. 

Irrigation system is currently being installed.  They started to install the system last week and it should be done either today or tomorrow.  However, we probably won't need it until Spring.  Our grass is coming in very nicely and we plan to mow the grass for the first time sometime this week.  At the 30 day inspection, we will talk to the PM about re-seeding some of the bare areas. 

Trees ... around mid-October they plan to start planting the trees.  8-10 trees are from the township and RH provides us with 7 trees.  The 8-10 trees from the township will be planted along the community sidewalk in front of the house.  The PM stopped by to give us 7 red flags for us to let RH know where we want the trees planted; however, it is very hard for us to make a decision when we don't even know what type of tree we will be receiving.  We are waiting for the PM to get back to us. 

30 day inspection... is coming up next week.  We have a list of things to go over with the PM.  So far, nothing major.  A few squeaky floor boards, 1 window is giving us some problems, 1 air vent is making noise from the attic, etc. 

We plan to have a house warming party in a few weeks, so we are really trying to get things in order before then.  We hope to post some pictures very soon.  

Until next time....happy building, happy moving, happy living!!!

DISHWASHER ISSUES

Since we moved in to the house, we have not been able to use our dishwasher.  At first we thought we just couldn't figure out all of the settings and the user manual is a joke.  We contacted the PM who took a look at it and couldn't figure it out either.  So the PM contacted GE who stopped by the house on Friday (09/16/2011) to tell us that they will need to replace the control panel.  The good thing is we are not as dumb as we thought, the bad thing is we will be doing dishes by hand for at least another week.

DIY PROJECT #1

At the other house in the kitchen we had tip out drawers in front of the sink, which we kept the stopper, sponges, rings, etc.  However, this option was not included in with the kitchen cabinet package in the new house.  So we bought a kit and installed them ourselves. The install instructions are very easy to follow and in 10 easy steps you are done.  It only took about an hour and it probably would have been faster if we could find our power tools. LOL!!!  We plan to install the trays in our bathroom vanities as well. 

Next time we will take some before and after pictures.

  

It was really easy to remove the front panel, which was
attached to the cabinet with the above clips.



Hmmmm....wonder what our next DIY project will be.  Maybe we will finally hang the shades on the windows.

Additional information:

Rev A Shelf website - Tip-out trays

Our Yard and some other random pics...

We are settling in quite nicely and we are still unpacking and organizing our stuff.  Here are a few pictures that we took in the past few weeks. 

from a neighbor on moving day (09/07/2011)
Thanks Mary, it was very YUMMY!!!
and the flowers look very lovely on the front porch.



Our daughter playing as we unpack...



...and enjoying every minute of it!!!  Love her!!!!

As our daughter was going up and down the family room staircase, we realized that there was a large space at the top of the stairs and that our daughter was able to put her head through it.  After examining it a little closer we discovered that a baluster is missing.  We even went to Mike's blog (another Waverly owner) to take a look at his stairs to make sure we were correct. We notified our PM and he had it fixed ASAP. 

Family Room staircase - missing baluster

picture taken from Mike's blog to share with the PM

Family Room staircase - fixed

Since the inside of the house is not ready to be revealed we took a few pictures of the yard. It has been too wet to put the irrigation system in; however, with all of the rain the grass seems to be coming in very well. We are scheduled to have the irrigation system installed next Tuesday (09/20/2011), weather permitting.




front yard



front yard

left side



left side view of front yard (taken from street)



right side view of front yard (taken from street)




right side of yard (taken from street)

panoramic view



front yard (taken from porch)




front yard (taken from porch)



left side of yard (taken from 2nd story window)
Note: landscaping at top of picture is the neighbors property,
she is doing an awesome job!!!



left side of yard (taken from 2nd story window)
Note: landscaping at top of picture is the neighbors property,
she is doing an awesome job!!!



back yard (taken from 2nd story window)
Note: the fence is in the neighbors yard.



back yard (taken from 2nd story window)



WE ARE BACK ONLINE...

One week from today we closed on our house and the following 2 days we moved into our new house.  The house is AWESOME!!! and we have soooooo much space.  Our 22 month old daughter has adapted very well; however, we wish we could say the same for our 2 cats.  The calico cat (Maizy) hid under the furnace for the first night and the black cat (CC aka Crazy Cat) meows all around the house starting at 2 AM to 5 AM and then she hides under the couch to sleep all day.  Every night it gets a little better, but it has made for some very long nights. 

We have been soooo very busy for the past week...

We had a few issues with our Spa Shower, which was not hooked up correctly; however, the PM was right on top of things and got it all worked out for us. 

Rusmur (flooring company) was at the house today to fix the soft spot in the foyer...he thinks that prior to the floor being laid, someone might have dropped a very heavy object from the 2nd floor to the foyer.

The PM wants to look at our garage floor to fix the erosion problem; however, we need to clear out some of our stuff so he can get to the floor.

Guardian stopped out to finish setting up the system and showed us how to use everything. 

DirectTV stopped out to set things up...TV is working great.

Our daughter's bedroom and playroom are done...now we are focused on getting the rest of the house organized. 

With all of that going on, we took Saturday night off to check out a BUCCO's game and to enjoy a really nice evening with some family and Sunday was dedicated to cheering on the STEELERS. 

We will post some pictures very soon.

KEYS IN HAND...

Closing took only a little over an hour and everything went well. 

• PM called and gave us a status update on a few of the issues found during the walk-thru
• roof - inspector will be out this week
• HVAC - leaking issues have been addressed and fixed
• Garage, floor - working on it
• Garage, leak in ceiling - they found a leak in the master bathroom shower and fixed it
• Spa Shower unit - the company sent the wrong replacement part and we are waiting for the new part; they located the remote control
• Foyer, soft spot - they had to order vinyl flooring and will fix the soft spot
• Solarium - caulked the outside
• Garage door opener will be installed this afternoon. 
• LiftMaster 3280 - 1/2 HP Belt Driven Opener
• Henefeld Garage Doors Inc. installed the garage doors with RH and we had them price out the opener, which was only a few $$ more expensive than purchasing the opener and having Home Depot or Lowes install.  Also, since they installed the doors and opener, if we run into any problems there will not be any finger pointing on who's fault it is.  Hopefully, we don't have any problems, but you never know. 
• Packing is complete --- We packed a lot of our stuff over the weekend, so the packers only were at the house for a few hours.  Tomorrow we move the stuff from the current house and on Thursday we move the stuff from our storage unit. 

By Thursday night we will be all moved in to our new 'HOME'.  Wow, that feel good to say...it took almost 4 years and now we can move onto the next chapter of our lives.  Hmmmm....what's next?

ONLY A FEW MORE HOURS TO GO...

We are a few hours away from closing and we wanted to take this time to show you a few final pictures of our 'HOME' prior to moving in. 

driving up to the house

side view of house

front view of house

our mailbox
It's going to take some time to get used to having to
leave the house to get the mail.

foyer looking at the family room



Study



main stairs

foyer

foyer from living room

Solarium doors

Solarium

Dining room



Kitchen and Morning Room



Morning room

Morning room



Kitchen

Cook top
Finally, they got it installed

Pantry

Kitchen

Gourmet Island

Kitchen

Family room

Family room
view from 2nd floor

Family room
view from 2nd floor

Laundry room

Finished Basement

Finished Basement

Finished Basement
under Morning room

 

Finished basement
under Solarium
Daughter's play area



Unfinished Basement
Storage

Basement
rough-in for future shower

 

Garage

Some fun facts about our house: According to our apprasial, the living area (first/second floor) is 3938 square feet and non-living area (basement) is 2121 square feet and (3 car attached garage) is 688 square feet. 

We will try to check in after closing and after we move.  Thanks to everyone for all of your support, advice, and words of wisdom that made this an enjoyable journey.